


A Letter

by buckyoujames



Category: Death Note
Genre: "Just throw money at it", Alternate Universe, Fluff, L's motto, Light is L's operative, Light is odd, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-17
Updated: 2017-02-17
Packaged: 2018-09-25 02:32:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9798617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckyoujames/pseuds/buckyoujames
Summary: Light is odd. No. Strange. No. What word would fit him? And doesn't he want money? L was sure he'd been generous enough, and Light did earn it. So why does he wantthatinstead?L's confused, and Light is weird. How ironic.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I don't... even know why I wrote this, honestly. I just had the idea and went for it, I guess? Hopefully you enjoy it nonetheless, and if you want to come talk to me, you can find me at [side-ho-ryuuzaki](http://side-ho-ryuuzaki.tumblr.com/).

He’s… weird. No, not weird. Peculiar? No, no that either. Freaky? That’s a bit much. Quirky? Unique? Kooky? Curious? Eccentric? Ding, ding ding! Eccentric, that’s it. He’s terribly, terribly eccentric. That and unbelievably silly, he thinks, because what even…?

L blinks slowly as he flattens the fold in his pants once again. L can’t seem to process what he just heard.

“You… Don’t want the money?”

“No,” Light says again, like L’s a particularly dumb child. “Of course, the money would be nice, and it would make my life a lot easier, but it doesn’t open the doors I want.”

“I offered you upwards of three million, so give me a minute to really process this.” L takes a sip of his tea, and somehow, it’s lost all taste. Did he have a false belief in him? Or is he really just that… eccentric? “You don’t want the money _at all_?”

“I do _want_ it. And it’d get rid of my student debt, but… I asked for something worth far more. It’d be unfair of me to ask for both.” He tilts his head, and he regards L in amusement. “Unless you desperately want me to also have the money.”

“You’re the best operative I’ve ever worked with,” L says without thinking. Light smiles. “By far. I thought I was compensating appropriately for such a reason…”

“Oh, no, I’m not saying the offer isn’t generous,” Light quickly cuts in. “In fact, it’s generous in the extreme. I just… I’d rather have the other.”

L opens and closes his mouth a few times like a fish. This man is _strange_. “And you want… A letter of recommendation?”

He sighs a little, and he looks like he’s dealing with the dumb child again. “Yes. I’d rather the letter of rec.”

“But _why_?” L feels his eyebrows draw even further together in confusion, if that’s even possible. “I’m just… terribly shocked is all.” He pouts as Light bursts into laughter. “What?”

“A letter of rec from L? I’d get whatever job I ever wanted,” he says with a huff of laughter. “Who wouldn’t hire someone who had such a high review? I’d literally never have to worry again.”

Several things click into place for him all at once. What an eccentric, _ambitious_ , clever man. Oh my. “Oh. I see.”

“I understand if you refuse,” he replies as he picks at a loose thread on the chair. “But I would greatly appreciate it.”

L’s like… ninety-three percent sure he’s in love. Maybe ninety-four. Definitely ninety-four, he thinks as he watches Light's hand flutter around a little as he picks at the thread. Why is he trying to quantify this again?

“So, will you?” Light asks, drawing his attention back to him. He blinks again.

“Of course I will,” he says back. Light smiles so brightly, and his heart pounds. If only he were more cliché, then he might have been so happy he’d kiss L. “You’ve more than earned it. Although, I must admit, I’ve never written one before.”

“All you’d have to say is ‘he good’ and put your insignia on it, honestly.” Light laughs playfully, and L takes a long drink of his tea. “But also, thank you. I wasn’t sure you’d agree.”

“There was no doubt I’d agree.” L takes another sip and swallows down a few very silly words for a very eccentric man. He feels bold, strangely. “I will require one thing in return, though, for such an odd request.”

“Name it,” he says. “You’re doing me a huge favor.”

He nods and takes another moment to drink his tea, and he watches Light watch him. He has a beautiful flush to his cheeks that makes L feel like the silly one, and his tongue feels like it isn’t even his own. He swallows down what feels like a solid chunk of sugar and opens his mouth to say that no, actually, it doesn’t matter-

“Can I take you out to dinner?”

He drains the rest of his cup when Light smiles more brightly than ever.


End file.
